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Protesters Warm Themselves Next to a Fire in Kyiv's Independence Square

The Department’s recently released statement “President Putin's Fiction: 10 False Claims About Ukraine” has received a lot of attention. Some have asked how distorted are President Putin’s assertions really. Here’s a souped-up ‘digital’ version of the fact sheet with links to documents, photos, videos, and tweets directly from citizens, journalists, and world leaders that counter President Putin’s claims.

1. Mr. Putin says: Russian forces in Crimea are only acting to protect Russian military assets. It is “citizens’ defense groups,” not Russian forces, who have seized infrastructure and military facilities in Crimea.

The Facts: Strong evidence suggests that members of Russian security services are at the heart of the highly organized anti-Ukraine forces in Crimea. While these units wear uniforms without insignia, they drive vehicles with Russian military license plates and freely identify themselves as Russian security forces when asked by the international media and the Ukrainian military. Moreover, these individuals are armed with weapons not generally available to civilians.

Social Media Context:

Radar installation taken over by Russian troops on the edge of Kerch, Ukraine. [Photo by Al Jazeera correspondent Nick Schifrin posted on Instagram]

3. Mr. Putin says: The opposition failed to implement the February 21 agreement with former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych.

The Facts: The February 21 agreement laid out a plan in which the Rada, or Parliament, would pass a bill to return Ukraine to its 2004 Constitution, thus returning the country to a constitutional system centered around its parliament. Under the terms of the agreement, Yanukovych was to sign the enacting legislation within 24 hours and bring the crisis to a peaceful conclusion. Yanukovych refused to keep his end of the bargain. Instead, he packed up his home and fled, leaving behind evidence of wide-scale corruption.

Source:The Straight Times: Ukraine crisis: Lavrov agrees with Kerry that February 21 accord should be upheld 4. Mr. Putin says: Ukraine’s government is illegitimate. Yanukovych is still the legitimate leader of Ukraine. The Facts: On March 4, President Putin himself acknowledged the reality that Yanukovych “has no political future.” After Yanukovych fled Ukraine, even his own Party of Regions turned against him, voting to confirm his withdrawal from office and to support the new government. Ukraine’s new government was approved by the democratically elected Ukrainian Parliament, with 371 votes – more than an 82% majority. The interim government of Ukraine is a government of the people, which will shepherd the country toward democratic elections on May 25th – elections that will allow all Ukrainians to have a voice in the future of their country. Social Media Context: “BREAKING: Putin: Yanukovych has no political future, Russia sheltered him to save his life.”

BREAKING: Putin: Yanukovych has no political future, Russia sheltered him to save his life. — The Associated Press (@AP) March 4, 2014

Source: Associated Press 5. Mr. Putin says: There is a humanitarian crisis and hundreds of thousands are fleeing Ukraine to Russia and seeking asylum. The Facts: To date, there is absolutely no evidence of a humanitarian crisis. Nor is there evidence of a flood of asylum-seekers fleeing Ukraine for Russia. International organizations on the ground have investigated by talking with Ukrainian border guards, who also refuted these claims. Independent journalists observing the border have also reported no such flood of refugees. Social Media Context:

The Facts:Outside of Russian press and Russian state television, there are no credible reports of any ethnic Russians being under threat. The new Ukrainian government placed a priority on peace and reconciliation from the outset. President Oleksandr Turchynov refused to sign legislation limiting the use of the Russian language at regional level. Ethnic Russians and Russian speakers have filed petitions attesting that their communities have not experienced threats. Furthermore, since the new government was established, calm has returned to Kyiv. There has been no surge in crime, no looting, and no retribution against political opponents.

The Facts: Russian military facilities were and remain secure, and the new Ukrainian government has pledged to abide by all existing international agreements, including those covering Russian bases. It is Ukrainian bases in Crimea that are under threat from Russian military action.

8.Mr. Putin says: There have been mass attacks on churches and synagogues in southern and eastern Ukraine.

The Facts: Religious leaders in the country and international religious freedom advocates active in Ukraine have said there have been no incidents of attacks on churches. All of Ukraine’s church leaders, including representatives of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church-Moscow Patriarchate, have expressed support for the new political leadership, calling for national unity and a period of healing. Jewish groups in southern and eastern Ukraine report that they have not seen an increase in anti-Semitic incidents.

The Facts: Ukraine’s interim government has acted with restraint and sought dialogue. Russian troops, on the other hand, have moved beyond their bases to seize political objectives and infrastructure in Crimea. The government in Kyiv immediately sent the former Chief of Defense to defuse the situation. Petro Poroshenko, the latest government emissary to pursue dialogue in Crimea, was prevented from entering the Crimean Rada.

Social Media Context: “In his visit to Kiev on Tuesday, Secretary of State John F. Kerry said he was determined to “set the record straight’’ as he sought to dismiss a long list of Russian assertions.“They would have you believe that ethnic Russians and Russian bases are threatened,” Kerry said. “They’d have you believe that Kiev is trying to destabilize Crimea or that Russian actions are legal or legitimate because Crimean leaders invited intervention.”“Not a single piece of credible evidence supports any one of these claims,” he said. “None.”

True, #Russia can have up to 25,000 troops in #Crimea accdn to BSF agmnt. But ONLY on military bases, not all around and armed with AKs — Andrii Deshchytsia (@AndriiDesh) March 3, 2014

What happened in Crimea is unconstitutional and resembles ... a coup supported by the Russian government and military http://t.co/HLu4Lum2Jg — Arseniy Yatsenyuk (@Yatsenyuk_AP) March 6, 2014

10. Mr. Putin says: The Rada is under the influence of extremists or terrorists.

The Facts: The Rada is the most representative institution in Ukraine. Recent legislation has passed with large majorities, including from representatives of eastern Ukraine. Far-right wing ultranationalist groups, some of which were involved in open clashes with security forces during the EuroMaidan protests, are not represented in the Rada. There is no indication that the Ukrainian government would pursue discriminatory policies; on the contrary, they have publicly stated exactly the opposite.

Comments

Comments

Orland P.

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California, USA

March 9, 2014

Give me a break. If someone engineered the violent overthrow of the government of Mexico and set up a puppet regime there, what would the U.S. do?
Second question: how many sovereign nations have been invaded by the U.S., starting with, say, Panama, up to the present day? And how does that number compare with Russia's record? You know what they say about people who live in glass houses.

Ronald R.

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United States

March 10, 2014

Look.. not to criticize, but in 2011, Ukraine's Parliament, WHILE Yanukovych was President, struck down a proposed local referendum law because there was no legal authority authorizing such actions in Ukraine's constitution.
But suddenly Putin is claiming that Crimea has the right to engage in such a referendum now, after Yanukovych has been ousted?
It was ruled unconstitutional when Yanukovych was in power, and nothing has changed since then, right?
And how will Putin deal with such a precedent should any of Russia's Oblasts/Republics decide to hold such a secessionist referendum of their own? Isn't that exactly the Pandora's box that he is opening?
I think this point needs to be publicized. If only because it holds the implicit threat that we may find ourselves willing to covertly support such movements within Russia.

Michael B.

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United States

March 13, 2014

I was handed a leaflet today entitled "'Victoria's Secret' government in Ukraine." The title is an apparent reference to the now-famous cell phone call by Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland, establishing her as the Founding Mother of the new junta in Ukraine. Hilarious.